Hidden Dimensions

Youth Voices Count (YVC) is a youth initiative led by young men who have sex with men and transgender women. We bring together the most vibrant, diverse, and young community leaders in Asia and the Pacific.

ABOUT US YouthVoicesCount (YVC) was founded in 2010 as a result of a successful inaugural consultation in Bangkok, Thailand that brought together more than 40 young men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TG), from across the region to discuss key issues that they face in their communities.

YVC continues to comprise of members working on different issues in their local communities, driven by their knowledge, experience and needs on the ground.

YVC aims to address issues related to HIV, health, and human rights through capacity building, advocacy and community mobilization within the young MSM and TG communities in the region, recognizing the unique needs and vulnerabilities of these communities.

OUR WORK YVC has reached out to 19 countries in Asia-Pacific and recruited more than 50 young MSM and transgender community leaders. Our efforts have been made to leverage meaningful participation of young MSM and young transgender people at global and regional fora. Consultations with members have been convened annually to identify issues and address them through inter-country collaboration.

YVC has strengthened and highlighted the voices of young MSM and young transgender persons at regional and global conferences such as the International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific in Busan 2011 and Bangkok 2013, the International AIDS Conference in Washington DC 2012 and Melbourne 2014. Our members participated in various plenaries and provided valuable insights from community perspective to the discussion.

Unique self-stigma issue related to young MSM and young transgender persons has also been discussed and addressed at many levels. In 2013 and 2014, YVC launched a campaign called Loud and Proud in celebrating the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia and International Youth Day in 6 countries including Indonesia, Fiji, Mongolia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Viet Nam. In each country, a community event took place with big gathers of young people from diverse gender and sexual background, friends and allies. The mini documentaries brought the message of self-stigma among young MSM and young transgender persons to the surface. 2015 will see Loud and Proud in Sri Lanka, China, Philippines and Thailand.

Having identified that there is a lack of youth-focused HIV related health services for young MSM and young transgender persons in the region, YVC members came together in 2013 to share their experience of getting tested in their country. The result is a discussion paper called Jumping Hurdles covering different elements of ideal HIV services for MSM and transgender youth. Once implemented by health services providers, the recommendations will increase access of young MSM and young transgender persons to health service in the region.

2015 brings about another chapter for YVC with the launch of IGNITE Mentorship Program for young MSM and young transgender women in Asia-Pacific. This program will address the current gaps in capacity building for young MSM and young transgender persons, strengthen their skills and knowledge, and build a cradle of young leaders for the HIV movement in Asia and the Pacific.

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